To Be or Not to Be (song)

"To Be or Not to Be" is a rock and roll number recorded by the Bee Gees written by Barry Gibb released on the album The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs (1965).^[1] The song's title was named after the famous opening phrase of a William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. This track closely shadows Paul McCartney's head-shaking rockers from the same period.^[2] And perhaps influenced by 1950s rock and roll most notably Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire".

Recording and releases

It was the last song recorded for the album around October 1965 in Festival Studio in Sydney after "I Was a Lover, A Leader of Men", "And the Children Laughing", "I Don't Think It's Funny" and "How Love Was True". The session was produced by Bill Shepherd, and later, Shepherd was the musical director of the band from 1967 to 1972. The Bee Gees finally recorded a rock and roll number, the other rock and roll Barry Gibb composition was given to other artists in Australia like Trevor Gordon and others. The song features a piano solo in the instrumental break but was uncredited, the person who played on the drums was also not credited. Vocals provided by Barry on the first verse and choruses while Robin was on second verse and singing harmony on chorus, while Maurice only singing background vocals.^[3]

This song was one of the new songs recorded for the album, the other tracks was only released as a singles between 1963 and 1965. The song was included in numerous albums, 1963-1966 Birth of Brilliance (1978), Brilliant from Birth (1998) and others. The song's original duration was 2:10 on the 1963-1966 Birth of Brilliance the duration was 2:11.^[4]

Durations

"To Be or Not to Be" was included in numerous Bee Gees compilations, on the Sing and Play album the song has a duration to 2:10.

• 1963-1966: Birth of Brilliance - 2:11
• To Be or Not to Be, Tomorrow the World and Follow the Wind - 2:16
• Bee Gees (Box Set) - 2:18
• Selection of the Bee Gees - 2:13
• Ever Increasing Circles/Tomorrow the World - 2:17
• Unforgettable Hits and Orange Range - 2:14

Personnel

• Barry Gibb — lead vocals (first verse and chorus), guitar
• Robin Gibb — lead vocals (second verse), harmony vocal (chorus)
• Maurice Gibb — guitar, backing vocals
• Uncredited — drums, piano

References